Winstons Coffee at Sai Yin Pun

The Place

Hang a right straight out of the Sai Yin Pun MTR station and you immediately run into Winstons Coffee. The name is proudly displayed in bold black font, much like a movie theater of old, so it’s impossible to miss. Doubling as a neighborhood bar, Winstons coffee feels a little out of place in downtown Hong Kong.

One of the rare coffee joints that’s open from 7am in HK, Winstons is run by Aussies and there are clear signs that the team at Winstons take their coffee seriously. There is a strong coffee aroma as you walk into the place, instantly reminding you that while they serve cocktails in the evening, it’s a place to get a great cup of coffee.

The name is proudly and prominently displayed on the floor using black and white tiles, further giving a feeling that this a coffee joint from another place and another time. It’s pretty small inside, with room for a dozen or so, but there is room outside to mill about, something that’s not such a great idea in 35+ degree heat.

The Equipment

A jet black la Marzocca looks very cool and dominates the serving area, as does the Mazzer ‘Super Jolly’ grinder with the words ‘THE.DAILY.GRIND’ stenciled on.

The Beans

Allpress Espresso provide the beans at Winstons Coffee, the New Zealand producer sources their beans from all over the world with Colombia and Guatemala being the prime origination point.

The Package

My first ever experience with Winstons was quite poor, with my takeaway latte being so over extracted that it was undrinkable. I threw it away and went somewhere else.

But I’d heard too many good things to leave it at that, so going back, we sampled a couple of different styles. Firstly, my latte came presented in a short glass, just like you’d see in Melbourne, with a lovely aroma and full body that signaled a strong and robust roast. There was a slightly burnt undertone from a possible over extraction, and slightly over heated milk, which settled to an underlying caramel flavour by the time I’d finished.

Our long black had a completely different flavour profile though, with strong fruity notes that screamed single origin, possibly from Guatemala. It was incredibly well made, and while it had a slightly bitter taste, it was super smooth.

I grabbed a takeaway latte on the way out and I have to say it was the best coffee I’d had from Winstons in my (admittedly) infrequent visits. Perfect extraction, milk at just the right temperature pulled together a strong but well balanced coffee that was delicious.